Where to stay

Downtown Seattle accommodations are a short walk from the Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market, where kids can watch fish-throwing, see the Gum Wall and shop for snacks and trinkets. The Seattle Aquarium and Seattle Great Wheel are right next door. Stay in Fremont to let the kids climb on the Fremont Troll and see the animals at the Woodland Park Zoo. A hotel in Lower Queen Anne is perfect for visiting all the kid-focused attractions of Seattle Center: the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center and the Seattle Children's Museum. Pioneer Square is the neighborhood to stay for easy access to spooky tours of underground Seattle.

The area around the Seattle Center is also great to book a hotel in for the adult cultural attractions of Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Book accommodations in Downtown Seattle for the perfect central location to see the unique architecture of the Seattle Central Library. Here you can visit the global and indigenous collections of the Seattle Art Museum and listen to the Seattle Symphony. Alternatively, stay in the neighborhood of Bellevue across Lake Washington, where the Bellevue Arts Museum showcases artists at work.

Seattle is home to many parkland and waterfront spaces. A hotel in the University District is central to kite-flying in Gas Works Park and kayaking on Lake Union. Belltown is also a great place to stay near the waterfront, where ferries offer whale-watching trips across Puget Sound to San Juan Island and transportation to the wilds of Victoria, British Columbia. The neighborhood of Kirkland, across Lake Washington, has accommodations close enough for easy Downtown Seattle access but with far less traffic. Kirkland features activities such as fishing, swimming, hiking and biking in its many parks, making it an ideal spot to stay for nature lovers.

Known for its coffee culture, Seattle has great cafes across every neighborhood. Book accommodations in Capitol Hill and have a morning coffee in a different independent cafe every day of your vacation. If you're after fine dining, find superb options in Downtown Seattle hotels. Stay in the International District for diverse Asian food near the sports fields of the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners and Sounders. If you're seeking a beer or wine, take the approximately 30-minute drive from Downtown to hotels in Bothell and Woodinville, which are surrounded by 100 wineries, breweries and distilleries.